2019 J.League Cup


The 2019 J. League Cup was the 27th J.League Cup, which began on 6 March and ended on 26 October 2019.
The official title is 2019 J.League YBC Levain Cup due to the sponsorship of Yamazaki Baking. The winners would have earned the right to play against the winners of the 2019 Copa Sudamericana in the 2020 J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship, but it would not held due to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held at the same time.

Format

J.League announced the schedule and the matchdays up to the semifinals on December 14, 2018, and full fixture of the matches including the final on 23 January, 2019.
All 18 teams playing in the 2019 J1 League participated. In addition, depending on the result of the 2019 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs, one or two teams from 2019 J2 League with the best performance in the previous season may participate.

Group stage

Participants of 2019 AFC Champions League group stage receive byes for the group stage and the play-off stage.
As a result, 16 teams will play the group stage. 16 teams are divided into four groups of four teams by the performance of 2018 J1 League and 2018 J2 League.
Each group is played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. Each match will be played for 90 minutes.

Group stage tiebreakers

In the group stage, teams in a group are ranked by [Three Three points for a win|points for a win|points]. If the points are tied, the following tiebreakers are applied:
  1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  4. Away goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  5. If more than two teams are tied, and applying all head-to-head criteria above remains a part of teams still tied, reapply the criteria above only for the tied teams.
  6. Goal difference in all group matches;
  7. Goals scored in all group matches;
  8. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they met in the last round of the group;
  9. Fewer disciplinary points;
  10. Drawing of lots.
In case of ranking third-placed teams across the groups, the following criteria are used:
  1. Points;
  2. Goal difference in all group matches;
  3. Goals scored in all group matches;
  4. Fewer disciplinary points;
  5. Drawing of lots.

Play-off stage

The number of play-off stage participants depends on the number of teams advanced to ACL group stage.
  • In case four teams advanced to ACL group stage, eight teams will play the play-off.
  • In case three teams advanced to ACL group stage, ten teams will play the play-off.
  • In case two teams advanced to ACL group stage, twelve teams will play the play-off.
The play-off stage is played as two-legged ties of two teams each. The away goals rule, an extra time, and a penalty shoot-out are used if needed.

Prime stage (Knockout stage)

The prime stage is played by 8 teams who advanced to ACL group stage and won the play-off stage.
The quarterfinals and the semifinals are played as two-legged ties. The final is a single game.
The video assistant referee system will be used during the knockout stage.

Schedule

The schedule, except for the final, was announced on 14 December 2018. All matches of the group stage and the play-off stage will be played on Wednesdays.

Group stage

Group A


Group B


Group C


Group D


Play-off stage

Source:

Prime stage (Knockout stage)

The draw for the prime stage was held on July 28 at Fuji TV Odaiba headquarters, Tokyo.
For each tie in the bracket, the team on top will play the second leg at home.

Quarter-finals

F.C. Tokyo played their home match on NACK5 Stadium Omiya instead of their regular home stadium Ajinomoto Stadium.
Source:

Semi-finals

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Final

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